Carshalton Athletic were victorious on the road again after a visit to Pagham in the FA Cup, writes James Barrett.
Greg Andrews hit an added time winner to also open his account for the club as our hosts were perhaps thinking Dan Kempson’s opportunistic strike might been enough to earn them a replay.
Team news: Jordan Higgs, Luke Pigden and Mickel Miller came in for Andrews, Bentley Graham and Ricky Korboa from Monday’s game.
We showed our defensive steel in the first five minutes as Adriano Moraes, Alex Penfold and Paris Hamilton-Downes all won early headers.
Pagham v Carshalton Athletic - FA Cup - 12 September 2015 89 photos
Match photos
Dan Summers personally endured a frustrating first-half which began after he took and turned on a long throw 25 yards from goal. He lofted a half volley over goalkeeper James Binfield but the ball struck the far post and bounced away from goal.
One dangerous cross aside, we kept our hosts very quiet but we struggled to really test Binfield as offside flags and some good blocks kept us at bay. Summers did get Mickel Miller away down the left on 17 minutes but Tommy Bradford couldn’t get his head on the cross.
Pigden took aim from 25 yards shortly after that and he crashed a volley on target but Binfield got across and clutched it at full stretch.
The Pagham goal was shaking again on 26 minutes as, following a foul on Miller on the angle of their box, Summers curled a free kick against the crossbar.
And the exact same scenario happened again just two minutes later – Miller fouled, Summers stepped up, the Pagham crossbar rattled again. It was tough luck on our forward and had all Robins fans shaking their heads in disbelief.
We kept up the pressure and Bradford almost broke the deadlock on 31 minutes. Summers shook the close attentions of his marker, broke into the box and dinked it to his team-mate. The header was on target but Jake Hawker came across and cleared it from dropping in.
Pagham almost took the lead in fortuitous fashion five minutes before the break as Hamilton-Downes headed a cross into our box up and towards Matt Willard. The wind caught its flight and almost deceived our keeper but he adjusted his feet and claimed the ball.
HALF-TIME: 0 – 0
Jake Downs came on for the injured Bobby Price and our hosts enjoyed a bright start to the second-half, but we held firm and Willard wasn’t called into real action.
We finally took the lead on 55 minutes as Summers’ cross-field got Miller away on the left. He tangled with one opponent, and seemed to be fouled, but he got up to break into the box. He cut inside another tackle and forced Binfield into a parry, only for the incoming Higgs to bundle the ball over the line.
But before we could settle Pagham equalised in outrageous style. Dan Kempson shot from just inside his own half from the restart and the ball dropped over the backpedalling Willard and under the crossbar.
The game went back and forth for a while but without either side threatening to add to the scoreline, but we didn’t allow the way we were pegged back to unsettle us.
Kingsley Aikhionbare came on with 20 minutes to go and, five minutes later, he connected firmly on a dropping ball with an overhead kick 12 yards out, but it flew over the crossbar.
Pagham forward Dan Simmonds got free of Penfold for the first time in the game on 77 minutes but Willard parried his shot before scrambling across to smother the loose ball in front of the incoming Terrell Lewis.
Andrews was introduced a minute later but the game seemed destined to end in a draw as the clock entered added time. There was late drama to be had however.
Aikhionbare battled for a forward ball and eventually put Summers away. The striker bore down on goal and seemed odds-on to score past Binfield but, at the last moment, he squared for the unmarked Andrews who guided the ball into an empty net.
Next up: We play Walton and Hersham on Monday 14th September before Worthing pay us a visit on Saturday 19th September. We then travel to Faversham Town on Tuesday 22nd September.
For full details of the club's activities go to ROBINS